


I Decided I Was Never Coming Down

by DabMyWetties



Series: halo fifteen [3]
Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boys In Love, Coffee Shops, First Dates, Happy, M/M, Pride, Romantic Fluff, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-06
Packaged: 2018-11-28 11:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11416761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DabMyWetties/pseuds/DabMyWetties
Summary: Scott takes a minute to pat his hair into place and to inhale and exhale a few times to calm his fast-beating heart before he pushes open the door to the coffee shop. A date. He’s going on a date. With a boy. With Mitch who is quite possibly the most incredible boy he’s ever met, and they’re about to have a date in this coffee shop right in front of him.





	I Decided I Was Never Coming Down

 

Scott takes a minute to pat his hair into place and to inhale and exhale a few times to calm his fast-beating heart before he pushes open the door to the coffee shop. A date. He’s going on a date. With a boy. With  _ Mitch  _ who is quite possibly the most incredible boy he’s ever met, and they’re about to have  _ a date  _ in this coffee shop right in front of him. 

Christ, he’s nervous. 

With another deep breath Scott squares his shoulders and walks through the door of the bustling shop. He’s never been here before, though he knows of it. Everyone’s heard of Java House. It’s where the quote-unquote  _ weird people _ hang out, and while that’s kept him at bay in the past he’s starting to think that the freaks seem to be a lot friendlier than the people he called friends in high school. As he walks in he’s nearly overpowered by the smell of coffee and the whirr and hiss of machinery behind the counter a few yards in front of him. He glances around before deciding what to do; there are a few tables to his left and more to his right with the larger right side of the shop extending further back and out of his line of sight. Quite a few of the tables he can see are occupied but none by Mitch. 

Alright. He’s fifteen minutes early so he’ll get a drink and grab a seat by the door so he can watch for Mitch. That decided, he turns his attention back to the menu board over the counter. The hell is a macchiato? He can’t order that; he can’t even pronounce it. Cappuccino looks familiar but… is there just a plain cup of coffee here? 

“What can I get for you?” the guy behind the counter asks as Scott steps forward to order. “Hi, a medium...um, regular coffee, please?” he requests, hoping he hasn’t broken some rule. “Okay, one medium brew, anything else?” Coffee Guy replies. Scott shakes his head and pays. As Coffee Guy hands him his cup a moment later, he asks “Are you Scott?” The blonde jolts and his head snaps up, eyes wide. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen this guy before in his life. “I - um, yeah,” he mumbles, not sure how else to respond. “Thought so,” Coffee Guy says with an easy smile. “Mitch told me to keep an eye out for you. He’s in the back corner.” 

Scott thanks him and heads in the direction Coffee Guy indicated, through the larger section of tables and around the corner, and pauses mid-stride when he spots his date. Mitch is sitting at a big round table large enough to seat six with books and papers spread everywhere. A pair of wire-rimmed glasses is perched on the bridge of his nose and his long hair is pulled back into a neat ponytail. He looks… god, he looks good. Scott’s wondering if he’d look stunning dressed in a burlap sack when Mitch glances up and sees him standing a few feet away. His face lights up with a smile and Scott finds himself smiling back and hurrying the last few steps to join him. 

“Hi,” Scott says breathlessly, sliding into the seat Mitch nudges out next to him. “Hi yourself,” Mitch replies. His hands flutter aimlessly for a moment before he reaches over and gives Scott’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, I lost track of time. I was gonna sit up front and wait for you. Did Kevin send you over?” Scott’s mind has gone fuzzy at the combination of Mitch’s smile, the touch of his hand, and his quiet chattering. “Kevin?” he repeats blankly. “Yeah,” Mitch replies, letting go of Scott’s hand to begin scooping his papers and books into a stack. “Black guy behind the counter, ‘bout your height, makes a mean latte?” 

“Oh!” Scott finally clues in. “Yeah, he told me where you were. I didn’t catch his name though, and I have no idea what a latte is. You must come here a lot if you’re on a first name basis with the employees.”  Mitch finishes gathering the last of his papers up and tucks them neatly into a folder. “I do come here a lot, like almost daily,” he says with one of his million-watt smiles. “But Kevin’s a friend. He runs the place.” 

Scott glances around, trying not to be obvious about it. A couple dozen people are scattered at the tables around them and no one seems to be paying them any attention. “We’re… okay here?” he asks quietly. Saturday night’s experience at Denny’s is still pretty fresh. Mitch tilts his head. “Hm? Wha- oh! Oh, yeah, we’re fine. I wouldn’t have invited you here for a date if this wasn’t a safe space. I mean, I wouldn’t recommend bending me over a table or anything, but…” 

This would be the point in the movie where the main character would comically spit-take his coffee and that’s exactly what Scott does, complete with a sputter and a choke, which sends Mitch into a fit of hysterical giggles and apologies. “Oh my  _ god _ ,” Scott manages, now choking and laughing at the same time. “Sorry, sorry,” Mitch is laughing while handing Scott a napkin and using one to dab his watering eyes. “I am  _ so  _ sorry, just… my sense of humor… you’re not used to it yet… christ, I’m gonna scare you off ten minutes into our first date.” Scott waves his hand and shakes his head, still grinning. “No, it’s okay, I just - I wasn’t expecting that. It’s okay. Hell of an icebreaker.” 

Mitch exhales with an exaggerated “whooooo” and takes one last swipe at his eyes. “Seriously, I’m sorry. I forget I need to rein that shit in sometimes. I’ll save it for, like, the third date.” He grins. “If I get that far, of course.” Mitch’s joke really was a hell of an icebreaker, because Scott gets a rush of confidence and flirts right back. “I’d say there’s probably a good chance of it - the third date, I mean. Not sure how I feel about  _ publicly  _ bending you over a table, but if you’re into that...”

It’s a good feeling when Mitch claps a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. Scott’s proud of himself even if he’s blushing furiously. “But, really,” he says. “Don’t, like, rein it in. Please be yourself because I…. don’t know much about you. And I want to.” 

“Well, that’s what first dates are for, preppy boy.” Mitch settles himself more comfortably and reaches out to hook his pinky finger with Scott’s, both their hands resting on the table. “Finding out about each other. How old are you?” 

“Just turned twenty a couple weeks ago.” 

“I’m nineteen. You were drinking at The Crucible on Saturday. Fake ID?” 

Scott nods in response, then gestures towards Mitch’s stack of textbooks. “What’s your major?” 

“Don’t have one yet. I’m doing my pre-reqs at the community college to save money and hopefully rack up some scholarships. I’m leaning towards majoring in journalism when I transfer to big boy college. You?” 

“Well, funny story. Remember I said I was meeting with my academic counselor this morning?” Mitch nods and Scott continues. “I changed my major to poli sci. I was a business major but I don’t want to do that shit.” 

“Why political science?” Mitch asks. 

Scott smiles and drops his gaze to their linked fingers. “I wanna change the world.” 

“By becoming a politician?” 

“No, not quite,” Scott says, looking back up. “After the…  _ thing  _ …at Denny’s, and our talk, I was pissed. Like too pissed to sleep. So, long story short. I spent most of yesterday in the library reading up on, y’know, gay rights and stuff because I realized I can’t change anything sitting on my ass and moping. I landed on using a poli sci degree to work in nonprofit and policy. And that’s what I’m going to do.” 

Mitch sits up a little straighter, eyebrows raised. “That’s… impressive. You just kinda go all in for what you want, don’t you?” 

“Sometimes,” Scott grins, wiggling their intertwined pinkies. “When it matters.” 

It’s Mitch’s turn to blush. “Family situation?” he asks after a moment. 

“Eh,” Scott says. “Decent, I guess? Parents and two sisters about an hour away. Not out and they have no idea. I dunno how they’d react, but after last year I’m… wary.” 

“What happened last year?” 

Scott makes a face. “I figured myself out and didn’t handle it very well. I’m actually just starting my freshman year now because I had to take a medical withdrawal at the beginning of my first semester. I was like  _ Oh - I’m gay, now let’s spiral into a pit of depression and misery _ and that didn’t work out with school so well. My mom freaked out over the depression and withdrawing from school stuff. I’m not sure how she’d handle -” he twirls his free hand in the air “- all this.”  

“Ouch,” Mitch replies. “That sounds awful. Are you feeling better about things now?” 

Scott nods. “Yeah, basically. I mean, I’m not a mess anymore but it’s all still… I dunno, really new. What’s your family like?” Dwelling on the details of that whole episode isn’t the best first date conversation so he changes the focus before he starts rambling. 

Mitch shrugs. “They’re alright. I live at home with mom & dad for now. My sister lives in Texas. They either don’t know or are in some sort of weird denial because it should really be obvious at this point. Mom keeps asking if I’ve met any nice girls at college.” He pauses to roll his eyes and drain the last of his coffee. “I’m actually planning to move in with Kevin and his roommate after this semester’s over and start at the university next fall. Maybe once I’m out of the house I’ll come out to my parents but I’m kinda scared to rock the boat right now. God, this is heavy, I should’ve asked a different question.” Mitch rolls his eyes again and a voice pipes up from behind Scott. 

“Did I hear my name?” Scott spins around and Coffee Guy - Kevin - is grinning at them as he picks up discarded coffee cups and wipes down a table nearby. “Depends,” Mitch replies. “You spying on us, Kurvy?” 

Kevin scoffs. “Just making my rounds. I wouldn’t spy. You guys need anything?” Mitch glances at Scott’s nearly empty cup. “This boy’s never had a latte,” he says. “You have time to bring us out a couple? You can put ‘em on my tab.” Kevin’s jaw drops in what appears to be mock surprise. “You don’t have a tab, Mitchell. I’ll bring ‘em out but… a  _ tab _ ? Really?” 

“Stop,” Mitch grumbles, smiling. “I’ve always wanted to say that.” Kevin shakes his head as he heads back to the counter and Scott feels simultaneously like he’d completely missed something and also like he’d been included on some sort of inside joke. It’s a little disconcerting. “He was totally spying on us,” Mitch says conspiratorially, and he adjusts their hands so the rest of their fingers are intertwined. “What’s your favorite food?” 

Scott blinks at him for a second before realizing they’re back to the  _ getting to know you _ questions. “Fried chicken. God that sounds good right now.” 

“Pizza,” Mitch says. “Wait, fries. No, pizza.” 

“Favorite movie?” Scott asks. 

“Mmm,  _ The Crow _ . Speaking of movies, have you seen _To Wong Foo_ yet?” 

“To Wha-what? Oh, wait, the new one with Patrick Swayze as a drag queen? No, have you?” 

Mitch shakes his head and grins. “Nope. Wanna make out in a movie theater for our second date?” 

“I heard that,” Kevin mutters, startling them both as he plunks two lattes in front of them, still with that good-natured smile Scott’s beginning to get used to. “The first date must be going well if you’re already planning a second.”  And just like that he’s gone again, Mitch dissolving in a fit of giggles as Kevin beats a hasty retreat. 

There’s something interesting happening that Scott can’t quite place at first, and it isn’t until Mitch turns that dimpled smile on him and mutters something about Kevin’s impeccable timing that it clicks. It’s unfamiliar in that he’s only ever felt hints of it before - something peripheral and perpetually out of reach until now. 

He feels like he belongs. These new people who’ve swept into his life in the past 48 hours have welcomed him as he is; he doesn’t feel like he has to pretend. For the first time in a long time, it doesn’t feel like everything is spiraling out of control around him. 

He must be smiling like a complete idiot because Mitch scrunches up his nose a little and looks at him questioningly. “Y’okay, preppy boy? What’s on your mind?” 

“Yeah, I’m good,” Scott answers. “Great, actually. I’m...well, I’m having a really nice time. And yes, I want to make out in a movie theater for our second date.  _ Jurassic Park _ is my favorite movie. Your turn.” 

Mitch keeps looking at him, though his eyes soften and his expression is less questioning and more amused. He takes a sip of the coffee Kevin dropped off. “You are...interesting, preppy boy. Okay, um, do you have a job?” 

Scott nods. “Yeah, I sling boxes at a beer distributor a few days a week. It’s not fancy but it’s spending money and a free workout. You?” 

“Meh,” Mitch makes a face. “World’s worst call center. I hate it. But Kevin said if I make the Dean’s List again this semester he’ll hire me to work here.” He gestures towards his stack of books. “Hence studying on a date night. It’s a crazy good opportunity, though, and it would not suck. Your turn.” 

“Oh, hm,” Scott struggles to remember the questions he’d been trying to think of ahead of time. Watching Mitch talk is distracting. “Oh! What kind of music do you pretend  _ not  _ to like?” 

The resulting wince from Mitch is impressive. “Jesus Christ, really?” He laughs. “Fine, but you’re not allowed to make fun of me for it until  _ at least _ the fifth date. Hair metal.”

Scott nearly forgets about the mugs of steaming coffee on the table in front of him as he flails. “Oh god, me too!”

Their coffees go cold and unnoticed as they talk and laugh. The customers around them dwindle and depart equally as unnoticed until Kevin passes by the table to tell them they have half an hour while he closes up before he kicks them to the curb. Jarred back to reality, Scott looks around at the empty coffee shop. “How the hell did that happen?” he wonders aloud and Mitch just shrugs with a million-watt smile. 

“Oops? Well, we probably have time for one more question. Any interesting hobbies?” 

Scott ponders this for a moment, debating his answer and if it actually qualifies as interesting or not. Fuck it. “Um, well, I like to sing….” 

Mitch props his chin in his free hand, still smiling. “Oooh, me too.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> A happy fluffy chapter before a heavy one...


End file.
